Artist Toy Nizam & 3 Malaysians Share The Stories Behind Their Life-Changing Injuries
"At that point, I didn't know if I was dead or alive."
Published for Polident, 19 Aug 2020, 06:42 PM
Accidents happen every day, both big and small. While many of us leave unscathed, there are others whose lives can be changed in a blink of an eye.
For Ram*, it was a car accident that left permanent damage.
"It was raining heavily and I was driving with friends in the car. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. I saw a truck on the opposite side of the road slide and lose control. It slammed into the divider and came into our path. I tried to brake and get out of the way, but the truck hit my side of the car. After that, things are a blur.
"I remember being pulled out of the car and seeing my right leg in an unnatural position. I couldn't feel anything. People were surrounding me. There was so much noise but I couldn't hear any words.
"Anyway, I ended up breaking my right leg and damaging my knee and hip. It's been more than 10 years since the injury and I still feel pain. Both my hip and knee throb and hurt regularly, whether walking, sitting, or standing. I can't play sports or go on hikes anymore. It sucks. But I'm still grateful, it could have been so much worse."
*Name has been changed for privacy purposes.
Meanwhile, for Bob*, an attempt at romance proved to be his downfall... quite literally!
"I was on a big group holiday with old school friends. We were staying in a simple hotel by the beach, with small balconies overlooking the sea. It was a reunion getaway and we were all having a great time. I had always had a crush on one of the girls, and now that we were adults and both single, I decided to make my move.
"Like literally, climbed up to the balcony of her room on the first floor to surprise her at midnight. She thought it was sweet and funny and romantic. We talked all night. When it was time to leave, instead of using the DOOR like a normal person, I thought I would leave the way I entered, and tried to climb down the balcony. Nope. Slipped, fell, landed on the sand, and dislocated my shoulder.
"Fast forward 15 years, my shoulder still has a tendency to almost pop out when I stretch too far, sometimes aches, and that girl and I are happily married... to other people. Haha."
*Name has been changed for privacy purposes.
And a competitive sport ended up leaving Gwen with countless surgeries
"I was at cheer practice. Imagine throwing a girl in the air, her rotating twice and while on the way down.. she elbows you in the mouth. OUCH!! You know that scene in cartoons when a character gets punched and their teeth fly out? That was me.
"As I stood there with blood rushing out of my mouth and several teeth less, my teammates just stared on in shock. That incident resulted in my front tooth being knocked out and the 3 surrounding teeth being impacted. I have now had countless dental surgeries and a titanium rod in my mouth.”
Just like these other Malaysians, award-winning singer and musician Toy Nizam also experienced a life-changing injury
Toy, whose real name is Khairul Nizam Baharom, shot to fame in 2008 when he joined Akademi Fantasia 6. He would go on to finish in 4th place, in the season that crowned Stacy as champion.
Aside from his singing career, Toy has also made a name for himself as the bassist of pop-rock group Hyper Act, taking home the second prize at the 28th Anugerah Juara Lagu (AJL 28) for the song 'Hanya Aku' in 2014. When he's not rocking out, Toy can be found performing the traditional angklung.
While he exudes confidence on stage, this wasn't always the case.
Around the age of 19, Toy was involved in a near-fatal skateboarding accident. Thankfully he survived, but it left his teeth shattered and broken beyond repair.
Five to six years after the accident, Toy started wearing dentures to help boost his self-esteem, but he still felt insecure. For a young man, wearing dentures can certainly feel embarrassing, as people generally associate it with the elderly.
Toy felt uncomfortable talking to people and worried about his dentures falling off while on stage.
Thankfully, Polident helped him gain his confidence back. Even when he was criticised, ridiculed, or insulted, he was able to stand proud and face it all, knowing that he didn’t have to worry about his dentures holding him back.
Since then, Toy has certainly had his ups and downs in the music industry, but continues to face challenges head-on with confidence
His life's motto is "green light along the ride," to him that means going all out, all the way, and always giving it your all.
Dentures are so much more than "fake teeth," they're a way to give people back their confidence, boost their self-esteem, and allow them to enjoy their lives the way they want
For denture wearers of any age, Polident offers oral hygiene solutions so everyone can smile with confidence.
Let's get rid of the misconception that dentures are only for senior citizens, and be encouraging and supportive of those who need them.
Polident Denture Adhesive provides fit and comfort for up to 12 hours, so wearers can have the confidence to do whatever they want. With 38% more bite force*, it also helps avoid food particles from getting trapped between dentures and gums, so denture wearers can fully enjoy their food without worry.
*versus no adhesive after one hour.
When it comes to cleaning, Polident Denture Cleanser keeps dentures comfortable and hygienic. Specially formulated to remove tough stains and plaque, it also kills 99.9% of odour-causing bacteria*, thus preventing bacterial growth. It even kills harmful germs ten times more* than regular toothpaste, keeping dentures clean and fresh.
This provides wearers with the confidence and assurance to reclaim the possibilities in life, and not feel held back by insecurity in their smiles.
*soaking only, in laboratory tests.
